Page 118 of The Viking’s Captive

Her words faded away as she turned to confront the physician, who was just now lowering his hood.

“Oh … sweet … Jesus!” he murmured as he stared at her scandalous costume. Then he grinned.

She would know that grin anywhere.

“Adam?” was the first utterance out of her mouth, immediately followed by, “Stop looking at me. And don’t you dare grin at my attire.”

Adam grinned some more. “I could no more stop looking at you than breathe, especially in that garment. Make sure you bring it with you. But hurry, there is no time for talking now. Put this on.” He shoved another Arab robe at her, similar to his.

Before she could pull the robe over her head, though, Adam yanked her into his arms and kissed her hotly. “God, I was worried about you. Do not ever do this to me again.”

She had no idea what he meant. Do what again? she wanted to ask. Run away? Be a soldier? Join a harem? She would have to save the questions for later. But she had to warn him, “Adam, it is impossible to get out of here. You should not have come. The danger is too great.”

“Shhh! For once, let someone else take care of you.” He shoved her away and was already out on the balcony wrapping a long rope with a three-pronged hook on the end around one of the columns. “I hope you do not fear heights,” he said, motioning her forward. “We have only a few moments to accomplish this, and it is three floors down.” He kept glancing from right to left to make sure no one emerged from one of the other examining rooms, then down below to the gardens to make sure no one had wandered into the area for a stroll.

She rushed forward, tying the rope belt of her robe as she ran. “Any fear of heights I have is outweighed by my fear of beheading … which is the penalty for escape from a harem.”

“Beheading?” He laughed. “I never would have come for you if I’d known beheading was involved.”

She smacked him on the arm. “What a time for teasing!”

Minutes later they had both shimmied down the rope … an experience she never wanted to repeat … and were running as stealthily as possible through a maze of corridors till they came to a hidden door that led out onto a public street. With a forefinger to his lips, cautioning silence, Adam lifted the hem of his robe and handed her a long dagger. He pulled his sword from its waist sheath for himself. This was the most dangerous part of all, she realized. Much coin must have been paid to clear their way through the oddly absent inside guards, but there were sure to be guards posted at intervals all along the castle walls … too many to be contacted or bribed.

“Your father and your troops are awaiting us a short distance away.”

“They are?”

“Oh, Tyra, how could you think otherwise? You are a much-beloved daughter and military leader and friend.”

And lover?Why that omission should bother her so much, she could not say, but it did, even in the midst of all this danger.

He took her hand in his, entwined their fingers, then raised her hand so he could kiss the knuckles.

“This is it, heartling. Here’s hoping we live to see the stars tonight.”

She nodded. As long as she was with him, she was not afraid … even of dying. “Nay, here’s hoping that Bolthor will compose a saga about this successful adventure aboard a longship tonight.”

He laughed at the thought of the two of them welcoming one of Bolthor’s sagas. “Better yet,” he said over his shoulder even as he opened the creaking door and pulled her forward, “here’s hoping we will be telling this story to our children for a loooong time.”

They both ran for their lives then, but Adam’s last words rang through her ears like a joyous refrain.

Our children. Our children. Our children…

STILL IN THE BLOODY DAMN EASTERN DESERT

The best laid plans of men and fools …

That night, Adam approached the tent that had been set aside for Tyra. He was so nervous he could scarcely breathe.

“Thor’s toenails, Adam! Your hands are shaking,” Tykir pointed out to him.

“Allah be praised!” Rashid piped up. “You rescued your lady. You and you alone! You have naught to fear. She will be so thankful she will fall into your arms with thanks. And think on this, master. She has been in a harem. She no doubt knows things now.” He waggled his eyebrows to convey what things he was referring to.

“What things?” King Thorvald wanted to know.

Adam groaned. He really, really did not need the company of the father of the woman he hoped to swive this night.

“Actually, I think you should just toss her over your shoulder, like she did you. Ride off to some secluded spot and convince her to be yours.” The king beamed at him after expounding that wisdom.